1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a roller skate of the inline skate type and a wheel for same, wherein the wheel has at least one bearing, in particular a ball bearing, which is arranged in a wheel rim portion.
2. The Prior Art
In a known construction of an inline skate wheel of the foregoing type, the wheel includes a wheel rim portion comprising plastic material or metal, in particular aluminum, a tread surface of plastic material arranged on the wheel rim portion, and respective ball bearings fitted into the wheel rim portion at each of the outward sides of the wheel, with a bearing seal, for example a sealing disk. Arranging the ball bearings at the outward sides of the wheel rim portions affords a large surface area for attack by the action of environmental influences. It is precisely due to typical use of the wheel in the open air that dirt and moisture can penetrate into the bearings and give rise to increased frictional forces and a greater amount of wear. Previously known sealing means, such as bearing or sealing disks, can only prevent contamination and fouling of the bearings to an unsatisfactory degree.
The object of the present invention is to develop a wheel of the aforementioned type in which the ball bearing of the wheel is protected effectively and better than hitherto from weather, dirt, moisture and mechanical influences.